COACHING ACCOMPLISHMENTS
- Deion Barnes enters his third season in 2025 as the Nittany Lions' defensive line coach and his sixth year overall with the program.
- Barnes spent the previous three years on the Penn State staff as a graduate assistant working with the defensive line.
- During the last five seasons working with the PSU defensive line, Barnes has helped coach 20 All-Big Ten honorees, including five first-team selections, and a first-team, second-team and third-team All-American.
- Since 2020, Barnes' first year with the program, Penn State leads the nation for most defensive ends drafted (7).
- Penn State's 2024 defense was dominant, ranking 2nd in the FBS in tackles for loss (119) and 5th in sacks (44).
- Abdul Carter, who made the switch from linebacker to defensive end, became Penn State’s highest NFL Draft pick since Saquon Barkley (2018), joining Bruce Clark and Courtney Brown as top-five defensive line selections in school history.
- Carter was named a Unanimous Consensus All-American in 2024, the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and Defensive Lineman of the Year.
- Carter led the nation with 23.5 tackles for loss and ranked seventh nationally in sacks (12.0).
- In 2023, Penn State's defense ranked first nationally in sacks (49) and first among Power Five teams (2nd nationally) in tackles for loss (111).
- A total of five defensive linemen earned All-Big Ten honors under Barnes in 2023, led by first-team selection and Associated Press third-team All-American Chop Robinson.
- Defensive end Adisa Isaac, an All-Big Ten first team honoree along with Robinson in 2023, finished second in the Big Ten in tackles for loss (16; T-20th nationally) and tied for second in sacks (7.5).
- Robinson was selected 21st overall by Miami in the 2024 NFL Draft, Penn State's highest-drafted defensive end since Aaron Maybin in 2009, while Isaac went in the third round to Baltimore.
- Barnes tutored defensive tackle PJ Mustipher, who was a two-time captain for the Nittany Lions and a three-time All-Big Ten honoree.
- During the 2022 season, Penn State led the Big Ten with 104 tackles for loss (T-4th nationally) and 42 sacks (T-6th).
- A total of 26 different Nittany Lions had at least a full tackle for loss during the 2022 season, good for second in the nation.
- Isaac returned from an injury in 2022, earning third-team All-Big Ten honors, and among defensive lineman in the Big Ten, Isaac's 11 tackles for loss were tied for third.
- Robinson, who picked up All-Big Ten honorable mention honors in 2022, led Power Five edge rushers with a 91.6 pass rush grade according to Pro Football Focus.
- Barnes also worked with defensive end Arnold Ebiketie, a transfer, during the 2021 season and helped develop him into a first-team All-Big Ten selection and an FWAA second-team All-American.
- Ebiketie finished the year first among Power Five defensive linemen in tackles for loss (17.0).
- Under Barnes' tutelage, Ebiketie also paced the Big Ten in blocked field goals (2), was second in tackles for loss and third in sacks (9.5).
- Mustipher (second team) and linebacker-converted-to-defensive-end Jesse Luketa (third team) also earned all-conference laurels in 2021 for a defensive line unit which helped Penn State finish sixth nationally in points allowed (17.3).
- In his first season, Barnes worked with Odafe Oweh and Shaka Toney, who became the first Penn State defensive end duo to receive All-Big Ten first team honors since Courtney Brown and Brad Scioli in 1998.
- Oweh was picked in the first round (31st overall) by the Baltimore Ravens in the 2021 NFL Draft, making him the first Penn State defensive end selected in the first round since 2009 (Aaron Maybin).
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ACCOMPLISHMENTS AS A PLAYER
- Barnes was a three-year letterwinner at defensive end for Penn State (2012-14) and earned Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors in 2012.
- He spent two years in the NFL with the New York Jets (2015) and Kansas City Chiefs (2016), and an additional season in the AAF with the San Antonio Commanders in 2019.
PROMINENT PLAYERS COACHED
- Abdul Carter (Penn State) – New York Giants; 2025 second overall pick
- Coziah Izzard (Penn State) – Kansas City Chiefs
- Dvon J-Thomas (Penn State) – Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Chop Robinson (Penn State) – Miami Dolphins; 2024 21st overall pick
- Adisa Isaac (Penn State) – Baltimore Ravens; 2024 third-round pick
- PJ Mustipher (Penn State) – Arizona Cardinals
- Arnold Ebiketie (Penn State) – Atlanta Falcons; 2022 second-round pick
- Jesse Luketa (Penn State) – Arizona Cardinals; 2022 seventh-round pick
- Derrick Tangelo (Penn State) – NFL (2022)
- Odafe Oweh (Penn State) – Baltimore Ravens; 2021 first-round pick
- Shaka Toney (Penn State) – NFL (2021-22)
THE BARNES FILE
Personal
Year at Penn State: Sixth
Hometown: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Education: Penn State University, 2014 - B.S. Recreation, Park & Tourism Management
Family: Partner: Emily Vroom; Son: Deion Jr.Coaching Career
2021-present - Penn State (Associate Head Coach/Defensive Recruiting Coordinator/Cornerbacks)
2016-20 - Penn State (Assistant Head Coach/Defensive Recruiting Coordinator/Cornerbacks)
2014-16 - Penn State (Defensive Recruiting Coordinator/Cornerbacks)
2013 - Temple (Wide Receivers)
2003-12 - Gateway (Pa.) High School (Head Coach and Athletic Director)
2002 - Gateway High School (Head Coach)
2001 - Gateway High School (Offensive Coordinator)
1997-2000 - Duquesne (Passing Coordinator)
1996 - Hempfield High School (Assistant Coach)Playing Experience
- Penn State University (1987-91)
- Washington Redskins (1992)
- CFL Toronto Argonauts (1993)
- CFL Shreveport Pirates (1994-95)
- AFL Albany Firebirds (1996)
Postseason as a Coach
- 2024 Orange Bowl (CFP Semifinal) - Penn State
- 2024 Fiesta Bowl (CFP Quarterfinal) - Penn State
- 2024 CFP First Round - Penn State
- 2023 Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl - Penn State
- 2023 Rose Bowl - Penn State
- 2022 Outback Bowl - Penn State
- 2019 Goodyear Cotton Bowl - Penn State
- 2019 VRBO Citrus Bowl - Penn State
- 2017 PlayStation Fiesta Bowl - Penn State
- 2017 Rose Bowl - Penn State
- 2016 TaxSlayer Bowl - Penn State
- 2014 Pinstripe Bowl - Penn State